


Dinner for Three

by TheLittlestJelly



Category: Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: Cutesy, Dinner, F/M, Friendship, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I love how Avaric makes his way into like every fic but he plays a different role each time, Mostly Fiyeraba, POV Multiple, POV Third Person, Romance, Romantic Fluff, but some implied Gelphie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24342055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLittlestJelly/pseuds/TheLittlestJelly
Summary: Galinda has noticed something off about Elphaba and Fiyero - neither has been themself since the dreadful incident with Dr. Dillamond, and she's determined to fix that. If they can fix each other, maybe she can enjoy her time with both of them. Sometimes, a candle-lit dinner for three can be all one needs for a little rest and relaxation.AN: I jump POV like crazy in this story please forgive me. Mostly Fiyeraba with little hints of Gelphie. Also, I reference the book, but none of the events in the book are "canon" in this fic. It's set in the musical universe because that's the one that matters to me. I thought these were important notes to make so you know what you're getting into but I don't know where to put notes? I'm new to AO3.
Relationships: Elphaba Thropp & Fiyero Tigelaar, Elphaba Thropp & Galinda Upland, Elphaba Thropp/Fiyero Tigelaar
Kudos: 9





	1. Teacups and Sandwiches

Elphaba hunched over her papers on Galinda’s bed, shuffling through matted sheets and papers. She scanned for something, anything, useful to Dillamond’s cause. Usually, she’d be pouring over her classwork – and she was, for all intents and purposes, busy with classwork as well – but Elphaba desperately needed to understand Dillamond’s old research notes, a meticulously plotted out mess of scribbles on the biology of Animals. Why couldn’t she grasp this?  


“Elphie, will you please at least watch this one? I’m trying to turn your sandwich into cup.”  


Elphaba looked up from her papers and rubbed at her temples. “Sorry,” she said. “It’s just…something here might help me when I meet the Wizard.”  


Galinda frowned, swishing her wand around in the air in the middle of the room between their beds. “Elphie, I know that this is important to you, but you gotta let yourself live sometimes. Take a break.”  


“There’s no time for breaks.”  


“Sure there is! I’m taking one right now!” Galinda turned toward Elphaba, pointing her wand directly at the sandwich on a plate resting peacefully on the bed beside her. “Sandwicho’ changium!”  


The sandwich exploded across the room, shreds of lettuce and pickle stinging Elphaba’s face as it slapped across her cheeks.  


Galinda frowned.  


Elphaba laughed, clasping her hands together. “Galinda, you did magic! Big improvement. You’re nearly as good as the Wizard himself, now.”  


“Oh Elphie, you mock me,” she said. Galinda flopped on the bed beside Elphaba, who was now busy peeling the lettuce from her face.  


Elphaba shook her head, still laughing. “Not at all,” Elphaba managed to say. “Last week, you couldn’t do magic at all, and look at you now.”  


Galinda sat up. There was a pause. Then a gasp. “You’re right!” She bounced on the bed, sending Elphaba’s papers flying. “I did magic! Oh, Elphie, just imagine. What do you think the next step is? Ball gowns? I still haven’t been able to make one of those ball gowns.”  


Elphaba clutched her papers tight while Galinda laid back down. “If you keep practicing, I’m sure. Just don’t use me as your test subject. I’m not as…combustible as my sandwich.”  


Galinda nodded her head as if this was a reasonable agreement.  


Elphaba turned her attention back to her papers—the blood cell of the Animal…exhibiting some minor differences to those of humans in proteins…  


“Elphaba, I meant what I said about taking a break. You’ve been pouring over those papers for days,” Galinda said, taking her hand.  


Elphaba looked up at her.  


“Dillamond leaving was upsetting, I know,” she continued. “It was upsetting to everyone. But you’re barely eating – don’t think I didn’t notice. That sandwich went untouched!”  


“Galinda, he didn’t just leave. He was forced to go—”  


“I know,” she said. “That’s exactly why you need to take some time for yourself. Please, just come out with me tonight. I’ve already made plans for dinner.”  


Elphaba looked into Galinda’s eyes, which were wide and soft and pleading. She sighed, easing the tension in her shoulders. “Where at?”  


Galinda smiled. “Oh, no place special.”


	2. The Entrance to Yackle's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner begins
> 
> AN: I include Avaric here, so before any of the super fans get on my case, yes, I know Avaric is technically in the play as Fiyero's chauffeur and canonically leaves Shiz right after dropping him off. Please forgive me.

Elphaba looked for “Yackle’s” in her school robes, having gone straight from the Shiz library to the public streets just outside of the college. _6:30, just as Galinda requested._ Elphaba had never been invited out before, she realized, and was unsure of what to expect. She walked along the cobblestone path until she saw the sign for Yackle’s, written in elegant cursive and lit against a dimming sky.  


“The hell?”  


People trailed into the restaurant, dressed up in gowns and suits and cocktail dresses. Elphaba shuffled her feet. She walked by the line, an eyebrow raised. She clutched the side of her arm. As she stepped inside beneath the wide archway of a door, a waitress in a tuxedo at the front greeted her slowly, eyebrows raised.  


“I’m here for a table with Galinda?” Elphaba said, doing her best to imitate her more-regal father when he took her family to rare dinner parties. The waitress flipped through pages with rows of names before tapping a finger on one column in particular, which Elphaba assumed had Galinda’s name.  


“Oh, Miss Galinda didn’t tell me she had put three guests on her table. Elphaba Thropp? Go right ahead.”  


_Three guests?_  


She walked forward past marble spires before passing through a dimly lit hall. The busy, mumbling voices from the entrance had faded, leaving her footsteps to echo through the empty hall before she made it to the main dining room. When she stepped inside, each circular table stood on its own, decorated with an assortment of white candles – and there were a lot of tables, she noted, arranged neatly around paintings on the wall, each with its own miniature chandelier.  


Elphaba was the only one in her school robes.  


Elphaba was the only one who was green.  


She scanned the room before locking eyes with Galinda who slouched, palm against cheek, at a table on the right end of the room. Her gold hair was illuminated by candlelight and the glow of a large, stone fireplace further to the right. The moment Galinda spotted Elphaba, she perked up, sitting straight. Galinda motioned over to her, her expression of delight shifting into a squint as Elphaba walked forward.  


“Oh, Elphie, you’re in your school robes. How very…elegant,” she said once Elphaba made her way over. 

Elphaba felt eyes on her as she walked. It was a familiar feeling, a crestfallen twist in the gut, only amplified by the bravado of the crowd. “You told me this was no place special,” she whispered to Galinda.  


“I was being sarcastic. I suppose I should have chosen my words more _carefully_ ,” she replied.  


Elphaba waved this away with her hand. “Don’t worry about it, Galinda. It’s social suicide to be seen with me at school anyway. A night at a restaurant isn’t going to change anything.”  


Galinda didn’t return her comment with a smile, but Elphaba didn’t expect her to. She sat down at the chair nearest Galinda. Up close, she could see Galinda’s white dress sparkling, fire light catching the glitter like sunlight on snow. It was a short dress, the frills cutting off at her knees.  


Closer toward the center of the room, Elphaba noticed Boq sitting at his own table, fidgeting and glancing toward them. He looked back and forth, from his table to Galinda. His bright red tie matched the bright color in his cheeks. Nessarose, too, sat across from him, smiling.  


“Psst. Galinda,” she whispered. “It looks like we have an onlooker.”  


Galinda looked up in the direction Elphaba was looking. She noticed Boq and exclaimed, “Oh! Quit staring Elphie. I don’t want him to come over here.”  


“Wonder why he’s looking over at us. Is he a secret admirer of yours?” She prodded Galinda in the side. “He better not be messing with my Nessa.”  


Galinda looked mortified.  


“I’m kidding,” she said. “I’ll stop looking in a moment. Things are starting to get interesting.”  


She and Galinda both watched as a tall, dark-haired man walked up to Boq, ruffling Boq’s hair once he approached the table. Beside him were two blonde men, whooping and laughing at Boq’s ever-reddening complexion. Nessa giggled across from him.  


Elphaba smiled and Galinda laughed despite herself. “This really is a scene,” Galinda said. “That’s Avaric, right there.” She pointed at the dark-haired man who was now swaying, this way and that, holding both of Boq’s shoulders in each hand while the blonde boys sang.  


“Quite the serenade,” Elphaba said. “Why don’t you make your next spell helping them sing better?”  


Galinda laughed and pushed against Elphaba’s arm, playfully. “If only to help this place stay a restaurant and not a brasserie, I might.”  


Elphaba and Galinda talked for a while about spells and the feeling of magic, about how much they hated Dr. Nikidik and about what dresses would suit Elphaba best (Galinda insisted that soft browns and golds would look good, but only if the cut was right, and pink _definitely_ went with green when used as an accent). Galinda leaned her head up against Elphaba’s shoulder while telling her this, as if the weight of world were placed on her back in trying to explain exactly what would look best for Elphaba on a given day.  


When the clock tolled seven, Galinda sat up. “Wait here just a tiktok,” she said and bounced across the room.  


Elphaba sat in silence, glancing about the room with her eyebrows raised and her arms folded in her lap, waiting for Galinda to return.


	3. The Third Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short but sweet.

“Fiyero, sweetums, please don’t be mad at me, but I invited Elphaba along on our date.”  


Fiyero’s heart stopped. Up until that point, he had been distracted, his mind fixed on a faraway night with a soft touch of hands and a pair of eyes fixed in care. It had been replaying for days – he didn’t know when it would stop.  


He didn’t know if he wanted it to stop.  


He looked down at Galinda, his eyes wide. “What? Elphaba’s here?” He bounced his leg. He was jittery now.  


“I know, I know. But Elphie has been so distraught lately and she’s constantly busy and I wanted her to get out of that dorm for a change.” Galinda rested her fingers delicately on Fiyero’s chest, drawing herself closer to him. “I hope that’s okay.”  


“N-no, it’s fine. I’m not upset at all,” he said. He realized he had involuntarily stepped back from Galinda, slowly taking her hand off his chest. _Note to self: don’t do that._  


He stood right outside of the dining room, glancing over Galinda’s shoulders to look past tables and find Elphaba in the crowd. When he saw her sitting alone, her face cast in shadows from the candlelight, the world stopped moving.


	4. Nicknames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know I had to do it to em.

Elphaba felt sick. Her chest was burning with a twisting excitement, similar to the kind she felt when she was told she’d meet the Wizard, only more concentrated, more dense. She couldn’t get it to stop, though she wished desperately that it would. She couldn't sit still, and her stomach was swarming.  


“Elphie, Fiyero. Fiyero, Elphie. I’m not sure if you two have properly met before!”  


Fiyero shuffled as he stood in front of her. Elphaba gazed up at him. There he was – the broad-shouldered, wide-eyed boy who had, not even a week ago, helped her with the Lion cub. He was wearing blue again, but it was a softer blue, complete with a coat. Galinda hadn’t seen them hold a conversation before, had she?  


Galinda waited eagerly, standing between the two of them, watching their hands expectedly.  


Fiyero cleared his throat slightly before reaching out a hand to Elphaba. Was his hand trembling? It was hard to tell. She slowly lifted her own hand and held her breath. He grabbed her fingers gently, and suddenly Elphaba found herself back in the garden with the Lion cub, asking Fiyero to stay with her.  


He did.  


“It’s good to see – uh – meet you,” he said.  


“Likewise,” she said.  


A moment of silence passed. Elphaba still held Fiyero’s hand in her own as they shared each other’s gaze. The air felt like it was on fire.  
Fiyero pulled his hand away suddenly and sat down at the chair across from her.  


“So…” Galinda started, sitting down in her own seat beside Elphaba. She didn’t finish her sentence, clearly waiting for one of them to break the silence. Neither of them did. “Well, I’m happy that both of you came here with me,” she said, finally.  


“Thanks for having us,” Fiyero said. He sounded detached, in another world, away from the conversation. He was staring off to the side, looking at neither of them.  


“We still have yet to order something to eat! Let me tell you, I’m not one for overeating, but I am definitely ready for dinner. Yackle’s is simply the best place in Shiz for food.”  


“I’m not too hungry,” Elphaba said. And she wasn’t—the twisting in her stomach made sure of that.  


“You never are anymore, Elphie. I insist you eat something.”  


Elphaba tapped her fingers along the side of her arm. She exhaled. “Alright,” Elphaba conceded. “I’ll do it for you.” She flashed a smile at Galinda.  


Elphaba was expecting Galinda to try and encourage more conversation, but instead, she excused herself uncharacteristically to the restroom. “You two enjoy yourselves,” she said, grinning. “I’ll be right back. Oh! And don’t worry about my order. I’ll be sure to give a special request to the waiter if I miss them.” And she bounced forward, walking with a skip in her step  


There was more silence when Galinda left the table. Fiyero toyed with the menu in front of him, avoiding Elphaba’s gaze. He wouldn’t look at her.  


Elphaba frowned.  


“I know I’m not pleasant to look at,” Elphaba said. She wanted to encourage some kind of conversation and self-deprecation always seemed to work best. The silence was killing her.  


“Hm? Oh, no, I’m not - Elphie, is it?” he sputtered out. “I’m just…thinking is all. You look…” He trailed off, his cheeks flushing.  


Elphaba laughed. Loud. “I look…? Frightening, right? You don’t have to pretend otherwise.” She leaned an elbow on the table.  


“No! That’s not what I was going to say at all.” His face was even more red as he fumbled for words. “I - why do you assume the worst in people?”  


“Force of habit,” she said. “Everyone assumes the worst in me.”  


“Well I don’t,” he said.  


Elphaba opened her mouth. Then closed it. She felt her chest twisting up. She brought a hand up to the back of her neck. “Well, I don’t either. Assume the worst in you, specifically, I mean.” She smiled awkwardly and looked down at the table. “Besides, I already told you what I think about you.” She rushed the last words out, hoping Fiyero wouldn’t notice how much her cheeks burned. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but her chest felt warm saying them.  


Fiyero put down the menu and stared in surprise. He returned Elphaba’s warm smile with one of his own. “So, uh, you go by Elphie, then?”  


“Only by friends,” Elphaba said.  


“You didn’t strike me as one for nicknames - or, uh, friends.”  


“The friend thing is new, but I’ve had lots of nicknames in my life. It’s hard to not to get at least a few when you’re this color,” she started. “Fabala, the common shortening of the Saint Aelphaba; Grasshopper and Little Green by my parents; Elf Girl – that’s what the kids at primary school called me, because I’m the color of an elf; Elphie is just Galinda’s own way of shortening my name,” she said. “It’s awfully sweet,” Elphaba added, assuring Fiyero that she liked the name.  


“Never would have guessed,” Fiyero said. He leaned forward, now. “So, if it’s a friend-thing…”  


“You can call me any of them if you’d like.”  


“Just Elphaba’s fine for me, I think. It’s, ahem—” he cleared his throat and gently set a hand on the table. “It’s a beautiful name…” he finished. “Uh-u-unless you’d like me to think of a different one.”  


“Oho, I’d be interested in hearing you try to come up with one,” she challenged. She raised an eyebrow.  


Fiyero smirked, relaxing his shoulders. “Ah. Let’s see here…” He glanced upward, as if in deep thought. “I happen to be an expert at making up names for things, you know.”  


“Of course. ‘Swankified’ could only come from the mind of a great.”  


Fiyero laughed at that. Elphaba laughed back.  


He tried on several names, all with varying degrees of success. ‘Fabs’ and ‘Aba’ were the most conventional, and neither suited Elphaba well. She laughed at his nicknames, regardless. She could feel her heart pounding.  


“I’ve got it! How about Fae?” he said.  


“Fae?”  


“You know, like the fairies in those old stories? They came before humans and Animals both, before the Arjiki or the Scrow or the Yunamata. Maybe it’s just a Winkie thing—”  


“I like it,” she said.  


“You do?” His green eyes were wide at that, his smile slightly bigger than it had been.  


_He’s surprised I like it_ , Elphaba realized. _My approval…matters to him?_ “I do,” she said.  


“What did I tell you? _Expert._ Fae…” He paused for a moment. “Now you have to come up with one for me,” he said. “I’ve never had a nickname before.”  


“No one ever tried to give you one? Now that’s a surprise.”  


“No one who didn’t hate me, anyway.”  


“We’re in a similar boat, then.”  


Elphaba folded her arms in preparation but was instantly distracted by a table in the back, behind Fiyero’s shoulder. A pair of Antelope sat together at a table, and a waiter was having a particularly long conversation with them. She watched as the waiter placed a hand on his hip, and the Animals glanced at one another in silence. They began collecting their things in their bags and purses.  


“Elphaba?”  


She shot her attention back to Fiyero. “Sorry,” she said.  


“What’s the matter?” Fiyero sounded concerned, now, his voice quieter.  


“It’s nothing.”  


“ _Something’s_ the matter, Fae.”  


Elphaba’s heart lurched when he used the nickname, and she could see Fiyero swaying in his seat, awkwardly – it was sweet. But it was not enough to bring her out of her spiral. “It’s just…I feel like I should be over there, with them,” she said, frowning.  


“Hm? What?” Fiyero turned around, noticing the pair of Animals.  


“Something seems wrong.” But even as she said so, the waiter left and the Animals returned to their conversation. “Well, even if nothing’s wrong this second, something’s always wrong at some point for people like me.”  


“People like you?” He was still looking at the Animals.  


“I mean, not exactly like me. But I’m always with them – over with the Animals, or the people with skin colors that are different from those in the _beloved_ Gillikin halls. That’s where I’ve always been. I’m only over _here_ because I know somebody,” she said. She sighed. “It’s a miracle they’ve even let Animals in this restaurant with Oz’s new bans in place.”  


Fiyero turned back to her. “That’s…horrible,” he said. “I didn’t know. That’s—no one should have to do that—sit apart from everyone else, I mean.”  


“Tell that to the Wizard for me.”  


“I might! I’m a prince, right? I’ll have to talk to the old man at some point.”  


She chuckled. “Would you really?”  


He leaned in closer, his gaze softening. “Absolutely,” he said.  


His voice was sincere.  


Elphaba smiled. “Mm, Yero my hero,” she said, resting her head on her hand.  


Fiyero’s face turned red, and Elphaba instantly regret trying the nickname out on him. Her own skin flushed, though whether or not Fiyero could see the discoloration was a mystery to her. She looked away.  


“S-sor—”  


“Don’t be,” he said.  


They sat in silence until Galinda came back.


	5. Spying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galinda is concerned.

Galinda had noticed something was wrong with Fiyero the night they had gone to the gardens. He was dazed and distracted and _thinking_.  


“Fiyero?” she had questioned in the gazebo. Fiyero was staring out at the rain-speckled roses, into the dark, away from her.  


“Hm? What was that Galinda?” he said.  


“What…what’s wrong?”  


“Oh, nothing’s wrong,” he said. The sadness in his face in suddenly disappeared, and he wore a smile just as dazzling as he did on their past dates when he would brag about his old escapades, except for in his eyes—Galinda could still see it in his eyes. “I’m just thinking.”  


He avoided her on most days, anymore. She had planned this dinner to spend time with him, originally.  


She hadn’t told Elphaba this; it never even crossed her mind to tell, but she did get the sneaking suspicion that Fiyero’s new-found thoughts had something to do with the night Nikidick brought the lion cub – or Lion cub – after Dillamond had left. Elphaba, also, had reacted strongly to the loss of Dillamond, and while Galinda felt a small pang of regret for the way she had treated him, his loss wasn’t nearly so impactful to her as it was on her two loves.  


_If anyone can pull the other out of their stupor_ , Galinda thought, _it’s each other_.  


Which is why she had nearly begged both of them to come to dinner with her, though neither knew about the other. Of course, there was a possibility that their combined misery would only encourage more misery, but Galinda was willing to bet otherwise.  


Fiyero was still warming up to Elphie, and Elphie was uncomfortable around just about _everybody_ , so it was no surprise when the two awkwardly stared at each other from across the room and refused to speak in Galinda’s presence. They were probably sparing her feelings by not fighting, Galinda resigned, so she decided to “excuse” herself to give them a chance to talk it out before she came back.  


Galinda walked past candle-lit tables and hid herself behind a tall indoor plant beside the bathrooms, peering out across the room at Fiyero and Elphaba. They were still avoiding each other. _Drat_.  


“Hey Galinda.”  


Galinda turned, her heart jumping. Avaric stood behind her, grinning down at her.  


“Avaric! You scared me.” She frowned and shooed him away. “Can’t talk now. I’m busy.”  


“Busy? Who are you spying on? I thought Boq was the only one who was stalking someone tonight.”  


Galinda’s face turned red. “Seriously, Avaric, do not tell me he’s chasing after me. He’s with Nessarose – that poor girl is going to get her heart broken.”  


“We all do at some point,” he said.  


“Oh, you’re no help. Go back to Biq and keep him distracted, won’t you?”  


“Will do,” he said, but as he turned to leave her alone, he was interrupted.  


“Hey Avaric!”  


“Avaric, who are you talking to?”  


The two blonde boys who had been singing with Avaric earlier approached him as Galinda tried to retreat further into her plant. “Goodness, why!” she exclaimed.  


When the two boys saw her, they gasped.  


“We have to tell Boq.”  


“She’s hiding from him behind a plant! This is perfect.”  


The boys were beaming, both in matching dress clothes. Their hair was not quite as blonde as her own, nor was it quite as curly, but their posture was surprisingly good for a couple of hooligans.  


“Galinda, meet Tibbett and Crope,” Avaric said.  


“Charmed.” Galinda peered out from behind her plant and realized that Biq had been staring over in her direction, his brow furrowed. “Oh no! He noticed me.”  


“No, no. He noticed us,” Tibbett said.  


“Oh, well. He’s about to notice you. He’s walking over right now,” said Crope.  


“ _Shoot_ ,” Galinda cursed. She started to move from her safe position behind the potted plant. “Boys, it’s nice to meet you, but I have to find another plant to hide behind now. See you later.” But as Galinda turned to leave, she heard her name.  


“Miss Galinda?” There was that soft, expectant voice.  


Galinda sighed and turned around. “Hello, Biq.”  


“Um. It’s…it’s Boq. Why – why are you hiding behind that plant?”  


Boq. Right. Why couldn’t she ever remember that?  


Boq’s bright red tie was the exact same tie he had worn to his first day at Shiz. Galinda supposed she couldn’t blame a Munchkin of his financial background for not having enough outfits to wear on a night out like this, but with his shoulders hunched together, the tie was not doing him any favors.  


“Oh, I don’t know. I suppose I liked it back here.”  


“Aww, don’t be modest Galinda,” Avaric said. “You wouldn’t be caught dead resting behind a plant like that if you could help it.”  


“Maybe her standards are changing,” Tibbett offered. “She’s been hanging out with more green things than a potted plant these days.”  


“If her standards are changing, that’s good news for you, Boq,” Crope said. “You might actually have a chance at this rate.”  


“Excuse you!” Galinda said. She furrowed her brow, her lower lip sticking out in frustration. Her hands were balled into little fists, now, though she knew the boys would see her anger as far more charming than threatening. “Elphie is my _friend_ , even if she’s…different. And my standards have not changed! She just so happened to reach them.”  


Boq was looking at his shoes, his face beaming red. Avaric and his friends looked smugly at Galinda, still deciding whether or not her answer was convincing. _Galinda_ was still deciding whether or not her answer was convincing.  


“I don’t know Glin-Glin,” Avaric said. “Elphaba’s still in her school robes. That never seemed to reach your standards before.”  


Tibbett and Crope began to nudge at Boq’s arms, chuckling to themselves.  


“You three are making Boq look reasonable, here,” she said, frowning. “Please, leave me in peace.”  


Galinda began walking her way to the nearest potted plant, hopping between dinner guests and demanding that the four boys help her make her way to a new hiding spot without being seen; she didn’t tell them who she didn’t want to see her (they were all surprised it wasn’t Boq), but they were happy to oblige in her efforts. 

She hid behind their shoulders casually until she found a decorative plant on the other side of the bathroom halls.  


When she forced the boys to leave, she finally got a glimpse of Elphaba and Fiyero. They were leaning toward each other, smiling and laughing. Galinda was absolutely delighted. Her plan had worked.  


But she began walking over to them at the worst possible time—Elphaba was, for lack of a better word, _blushing_ , and Fiyero was unmoving and flushed, though he was slouching in his seat now instead of rigid and distant. What had happened right before she had walked over?  


Galinda smiled anyway. “Helloooo my dears.”


	6. Where to now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio are in an uncomfortable situation.

Elphaba wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed that Galinda came back when she did. Either way, the beating of her heart was slowed, finally, as was the quiet, burning mix of shame and joy she held in her chest.  


“Sorry it took me so long,” Galinda said. “I had some…unexpected interruptions. Hopefully you guys weren’t up to too much without me.”  


Elphaba shook her head a bit too quickly.  


Fiyero gave his most charming smile and said, “Nope. Nothing too…spectacular.”  


Galinda nodded and sat down next to Elphaba. “Well, I must say Elphie, you are positively glowing.”  


Elphaba’s face flushed deeper—her blushing was noticeable, then.  


“It must be because I finally got you out of that dorm. Thank goodness,” Galidna said, but she was tapping a finger on the table now. She was mulling something over, wasn’t she?  


“Fiyero and I were just talking about…”  


“Talking about Animals,” Fiyero finished for her. “She’s, uh, going to need a lot of luck talking to the Wizard when she goes.” He nodded in her direction and lifted a glass of water to his hips.  


“Oh, I know,” Galinda said. “That whole business with Dillamond really does show the… _urgency_ of the whole debacle. You’ll be lovely, Elphie, I’m sure.”  


“I hope so,” Elphaba said.  


There was a moment of silence. Fiyero was looking at her, as was Galinda, waiting for her to say more.  


“I mean, of course the Wizard will listen. But...what if everyone else hates me, still? There’s a lot of small-minded people out there. I used to sing for them at Papa’s sermons…” she trailed off.  


“They won’t,” Galinda said. “You were able to charm _me_. Imagine all the people who’ll see you differently after the Wizard vouches for you. They’ll regret they ever said anything bad about you.” She smiled at Elphaba, and Elphaba let herself ease up a little.  


Elphaba glanced at Fiyero, and Fiyero’s lips parted instantly, as if trying to speak, but no sound left his mouth. “Elphaba…” he finally said. “Even if they do hate you…we don’t,” Fiyero said, gesturing to himself and Galinda. “And you’ve never let other people’s opinions stop you before, right? Keep doing you.”  


Elphaba sat with a quiet warmth in her gut. “Thank you,” she said.  


“Oh!” Galinda squeaked. “Look at us. What a lovely support group we make. If only we had our dinners to match. I swear, I’ve never had such poor service here at Yackle’s.”  


“Well, you beat me. I’ve never had service anywhere,” Elphaba said.  


Fiyero laughed. Galinda gave a half-smile. And that’s when Elphaba noticed the Animals getting up to leave as restaurant guards stood over them, shooing them out.  


“Hey!” Elphaba called out. She stood up, her chair screeching as it pushed back and slid on the marble floor.  


“Elphie wait!” Galinda called.  


Elphaba turned and looked at Galinda, whose eyes were shining and soft, her lashes batting furiously as she blinked in surprise. She wanted to sit back down, to not make a scene – for Galinda.  


The Animals looked terrified. Elphaba knew that terror.  


“Stop what you’re doing right now!” Elphaba shouted, pointing at the guards. She could feel everyone’s eyes again, as the restaurant-goers gave a collective gasp. She forced herself to ignore them. She marched over toward the guards.  


“Miss,” a guard started, raising a hand up. “Please, this is official business on behalf of Yackle’s owner, Mr. Magnumn.”  


“What official business requires you take Animals away?” Elphaba thrust her hands on her hips, furrowing her brow. She glared at the guard.  


“We’re carrying out our boss’s orders” the second guard said. “New Animal bans. Heard of them?”  


“Ugh.” Elphaba rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter what the law says! Can’t you think about what’s right? If the law is wrong, then you shouldn’t have to abide by it!”  


The guards gawked. “It’s not our place to decide that. If the Wizard supports it and our boss says to do it, that’s what we’re going to do.”  


Elphaba nearly screamed. She was shaking with fury.  


“Elphaba!” she heard Fiyero’s voice shout out.  


“Oh! Elphie, please,” Galinda called, rushing to Elphaba’s side, the tufts of her dress bobbing at her steps. “Please,” she said quieter, when she planted herself beside Elphaba. “You don’t want to cost yourself your chance to see the Wizard by making a scene,” she whispered. “Let me handle this one.”  


Fiyero ran up beside Elphaba’s shoulder. Elphaba was intensely aware of the fact that he stood mere inches away from her, shifting his weight side to side. “What are you doing?” he yelled at the guards.  


“Fiyero, sweetums, please let me handle this,” Galinda said. “Listen,” Galinda started, turning to the guards. “What my companions here mean to say is that they have reason to object to your…fanoodling and forcing these Animals out of this restaurant. The woman to my left is Elphaba Thropp, daughter of Munchkin…royalty and personal acquaintance of the Wizard, himself. Next to her is Fiyero Tigelaar, a Winkie prince. They concerned with…Animal business. If you let me speak directly to your boss, I’m sure he’ll understand. I’m a frequent customer, and your restaurant is lovely, I have to say.”  


Elphaba watched the scene play out, her muscles tensed. Galinda and the guards continued talking. She looked at the Antelopes who sat, eyes wide, staring at Elphaba. One nodded at her, mouthing ‘thank you.’ Elphaba nodded back.  


The guards were frozen. Amazingly, they conceded. Elphaba watched as they stepped aside and agreed to talk to their boss on behalf of the three of them, but the price, as instigators of conflict, was for them to leave the premises.  


The Antelopes were allowed to stay for the time being. The Antelopes thanked them.  
Elphaba stormed out the doors and walked outside in the dark, Galinda and Fiyero trailing behind her. She was shaking, still. She looked up at the stars.  


“Oh Oz, that was stressful,” Galinda said.  


“You’re telling me,” Fiyero said.  


Silence hung in the air. The night felt empty.  


“Well…” Galinda trailed off.  


Elphaba held her arms with her hands.  


She watched Galinda turn to Fiyero and grasp his hand. Fiyero smiled back at Galinda.  


Elphaba winced. She had a million thoughts swarming through her head, and she didn’t know where to start.  


‘“New Animal bans. Heard of ‘em?’” Fiyero said in a mocking voice. “Ha, that guy really needs chill out.” Fiyero groaned and stretched his arms out. “Betcha if he spent one night in the Oz Dust Ballroom he’d be a new man. He needs a _break_.”  


Galinda giggled. “I think we _all_ need a break,” she said.  


Elphaba let herself ease up. She exhaled. “Yeah. I’m sorry your dinner got ruined Galinda.”  


“Oh, don’t fret Elphie. I’ve got plenty of other plans to help you feel better. You bet your buttons I’m going to make you that ball gown, still.”  


“Ball gown, huh? How do you reckon that’ll go?” Fiyero said.  


“Well, if her attempts to turn sandwiches into teacups are anything to go by…”  


Fiyero began to laugh, turning to her. Elphaba let herself smile back. Eventually, she began to laugh too.  


“Excuse you Miss Elphie,” Galinda shouted over the sound of their laughter ringing over the streets, “I don’t believe you’re being very charitable right now. I’ll have you know, I did quite a good job with using magic on that sandwich. You said so yourself. And I’ve got big plans for your ball gown. Just you wait. You’re getting a bouffant skirt, I promise you.” Galinda huffed but she was smiling, too.  


“It’ll be lovely,” Elphaba agreed between laughs. “And yes, you did great. I trust you Galinda.”  


“You’d better,” she said, nudging Elphaba’s shoulder.  


Elphaba pressed herself against Galinda’s side as she walked. She looked at Fiyero. He was looking back at her, his eyes soft. Elphaba’s heart raced. She felt a mix of sorrow and joy, an odd combination of feelings that told her yes, things were bad for the Animals, and yes, Fiyero loved someone else, but if she could live inside this moment, this one where Galinda was with her and Fiyero looked at her like that…maybe she could live with herself.  


“We going any place else to eat instead?” Fiyero asked. “I’m a little dressed up, but I could go for anything.”  


“As long as Avaric isn’t there, definitely,” Galinda said.  


“Avaric? Was he causing you trouble while we weren’t looking, Galinda?”  


“Well, as a matter of fact—”  


They walked together for as long as the night would let them.


End file.
